Tempest
by XxStargazingXxXWitchxX
Summary: An escaped Super Soldier eventually becomes the pilot of the fifth Gundam... but nothing is really what it seems to be, especially for her. When the world begins changing, the storm has just begun... and it's not letting up any time soon.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! :D I recently became inspired to write a Gundam 00 fanfic, and I reaaaaally couldn't resist posting … despite the fact I have two other fanfics going on right now ^^" **

**Sooo, I hope you enjoy! ^^ Please remember to tell me what you think about this!**

Prologue : The Flawed World

The air was thick with the pungent scent of blood threading through the heavy dust, murky shadows lurking in the corners of the small basement as they curled and unfolded sinisterly. Pale, weak light emanating from the ceiling flickered unstably a few times before going out completely, plunging the room into darkness. But even with the black veil obscuring everything, I could still see it as clear as day...

Nothing could ever obstruct that mangled corpse of the man lying there, his body twisted into an unnatural position on the ground. His left arm was bent in the complete opposite direction as were both his knees, and horror gripped me when I finally realized the white thing poking out of him was bone. I almost screamed as my gaze traveled upward only to see that both of his eyes had been gouged out, sunken sockets flecked with blood replacing those emerald hues that used to look at me with such warmth and care. The dark, scarlet liquid pooling beneath him, created a lake that his corpse was practically floating in, all those painful cuts and lacerations on his body still oozing blood, blood, blood...

"Thought you could run, did you?"

My body seized up as soon as I heard that voice sound next to my ear. That smooth, velvet voice of a brother I was all too familiar with... no matter how much I wanted to forget...

"Oh, my poor, deluded little sister," I winced when he roughly grasped my hair and yanked my head up so I was staring up at him, staring right into a pair of crimson orbs, "Did that escapade of the failures from the space colony inspire you to do the same?"

I remained silent.

His features formed into a patronizing look, "Aw, are you scared? Don't be scared of me... it's not like I'm going to _kill _you or anything..."

Despite the sudden chill that went down my back, I managed to find my voice again.

"You... you killed him," My words shook for a moment, as the reality of everything began sinking in, "You killed him!"

He just seemed to be annoyed at me now, "So? Were you actually_ attached_ to that man? Geez, all he did was feed you and give you a place to stay for a few days... You're really too soft for your own good. No wonder our creators said you needed a different personality implanted-"

"Why?"

"... Seriously, did you hit your head or something?" He roughly threw me into the ground, and I choked on the blood that entered my mouth when I impacted with the slick wooden boards, "He saw you! He knows what we are! Do you seriously think I wouldn't silence him after that? Our existence is a secret from the general public, even though it's approved by the government. We can't risk news of us leaking out-"

He broke off when he saw me reaching for the man's face, "Oi, oi, what are you doing? He's dead!"

"I know that," I softly rested my hand on the man's forehead. Just like how he used to do to me, just like he did this morning, his fingers gently brushing-

"You've gotten way too sentimental," He grabbed my wrist and started dragging me away, "C'mon, let's go now, alright?"

"Don't touch me!" I jerked myself out of his grip, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I retorted. Fear was starting to fade now, and anger took its place. Mr. Laelia... Mr. Laelia was the only person who'd ever been good to me, he was the one who took care of me when I finally escaped that _horrid_ place, that place full of nothing but pain and death...

... And he killed him...

A scowl marred my brother's face, "Don't make me use force, Blair."

"He didn't do anything wrong!" I screamed at him.

"He knows we exist, that's reason enough for him to die," He pulled out a gun from his side and twirled it around his fingers carelessly, "Besides, this world is survival of the fittest. That's what we were taught back in the lab, right? Just like our examinations in groups of ten, where seven of us are eliminated... If he really deserved to live, then he should've been strong enough to fight back. Che, you should've seen the pathetic way he was begging for his life..."

"He's innocent!" I shouted, "He... he's just another civilian, he-"

Fast. He was fast, but I managed to catch his movement, and I rolled out of the way just in time. It was lucky that I did, since a gunshot thundered out with a loud 'bang' at that exact moment.

"That was a warning shot. If you continue to resist, I will not hesitate to shoot you," His eyes were ice cold as he held the smoking gun, aimed directly at me, "Get over it. He's dead. The world isn't fair... even if I didn't kill him, our creators would send our other brothers and sisters after him. That man was finished the moment he took pity on you."

... Mr. Laelia was a nice man, a kind man... he took me in when he found me on the streets, half-dead from escaping from the lab. He was a good person...

... and he died because of it.

My brother gave a frustrated sigh, "... Forget him. Forget everything. We're Super Soldiers, _we're made to kill._ You can't go around feeling sorry for others, not when they're going to die anyways. Remember our group examinations? 'Kill or be killed'... It's the same out here. Besides, how do you know he's not trying to use you? How do you know that everything he did isn't just an act to get you on his side? ... You don't. You can't trust anyone. You can't feel anything for anyone, you can't let your emotions get in your way... Because, that's when you give them a chance to kill you."

Super Soldiers. Created for battle. Created for killing...

... Were we just tools to be used?

... Brothers and sisters, laughing together one day and fighting each other the next... with only the three victors allowed to live. Live, and to kill more...

I almost received a heart attack when our stalemate was broken by the sudden blaring of police sirens. My pulse racing, I took a defensive stance on instinct alone when I caught my brother running towards me.

"I don't have time for this!" He yelled, abruptly jamming his gun back into the holster on his side and grabbing my arm, "We need to get out of here right-"

I elbowed him in the eye as hard as I could and he shrieked, the shrill sound ringing loudly in the small basement. Blinded momentarily, he stumbled around in pain and I took the chance to ram my smaller body against his, successfully knocking him down even as both of us lost our balance in the blood coating the ground. He began fumbling around for his gun, and knew I didn't have much time left...

I ran.

I pushed him away and began sprinting, slipping in blood but nonetheless still running. There was another loud gunshot, and I heard him screaming obscenities after me. He didn't give chase to me, though. Not yet. Fury took over rational thought, so he was only firing recklessly in my general direction for the moment...

Feet pounding against the floor, I didn't dare slow my pace for even a second. My thought process was beginning to get scrambled, but one thing was clear from the turbulent emotions rolling in me.

I wasn't going to go back there. I didn't want to go back to the lab, where they would run more experiments on me and force me to kill my brothers and sisters and _friends_... I wasn't going to be a tool for them to use! I wasn't going to be another experiment to be discarded at any moment for some sort of 'error'... I wasn't going to go back to the place responsible for our pain and suffering, the place responsible for death...

"STOP, X-0001!" He roared, and a bullet grazed by my ankle. I bit down on my tongue and continued running. It was common knowledge that my brother had a special way with words, and he was finally showing his true colors now... _he_ was the one that had been sent after me, tracking me down all this time. He was the one the creators assigned to retrieve me, wasn't he?

I forced my leg muscles to move faster, even as the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

"STOP!" My brother fired another shot, this time much closer than before. I could feel the vibrations in the ground from his steps as he chased me, the distance between us slowly but surely becoming smaller...

I veered a sharp corner and immediately flattened myself against the wall, breathless. I can't run forever like this, and he's already gaining on me... I have to think of something else to do, quickly. He was still hot on my trail, charging forwards...  
><em><br>I can use that against him!_

Swinging my arm out as soon as I sensed he was close enough, I couldn't help but grimace at the collision of his skull against my fist. It seemed to do the trick... he wasn't moving anymore...

Blood.

I stared blankly at the blood coating my hand, slowly clenching and unclenching it in morbid fascination, watching the red rivulets trail down my wrist and forearm. He wasn't moving anymore, the gun loose in his hands and his body crumpled on the ground...

...

Mr. Laelia's broken corpse overlaid his body, and I clenched my hand into a fist again.

"What in the world happened?"

It was a different man. A man that was well alive... though mighty unnerved, by the looks of it, "... Child. Do you know what happened here?"

"He's dead," I whispered.

The man's eyes widened perceptibly, "What?"

"He... he..." An impulsive fit of rage surged over me and I kicked my _brother's_ body venomously, "He killed him. He kIlLeD hIm!"

Red suddenly bloomed out in front of me, covering everything in my sight, and I kicked my brother again. And again. It was all his fault Mr. Laelia was dead, he didn't just kill him, he _tormented _him and _tortured_ him and- and he had to gall to say Mr. Laelia was manipulating me! He wanted to take me back to the lab, back to our creators, just so they'd be happy with their pet project's return and send it to continue killing more brothers and sisters-

"Calm down!" The man pinned my arms to my sides, and dragged me away from him. I flailed wildly, lashing out at him. Couldn't he see? Couldn't he see that it was all because of _him_ that the one who saved me from my hell was _dead?_ Couldn't he see it was because of _him_ that so many of our brothers and sisters- "Dammit, calm down!"

"HE KILLED HIM!" I screamed as I struggled even harder against his hold, "HE-"

"CALM DOWN!"

The man's face was directly in front of mine now, scarily so, and I stilled for the briefest of moments as he trained his violet eyes on my own. His features softened marginally, but his hard tone didn't change at all, "... Listen to me. Calm down. I'll get you out of here, alright? You're just going to come with me and explain what happened here. Understood, X-0001?"

I finally broke free from him, "No, no, NO! I'm not going back there! I-"

"I'm not taking you to the Super Human Research Institute," The loathing in his voice was genuine as he spat out the name, "Trust me, I'm not. I won't take you back there."

... Really, should this even matter to me? Should I really be concerned over where I was going to be taken now? I-... I deserve it. I deserve whatever pain headed my way from the syringes and capsules of my creators. The only person who'd shown me kindness... he was killed because of _me._ Where had I been when my brother murdered him? That warmth and care I'd once received from Mr. Laelia was gone forever...

Confusion. A sense of being lost, mingled with confusion.

... It didn't matter where I was being taken, nothing mattered anymore... I just wanted to get away. I just wanted to get away from the gaping hole torn in my heart and the searing pain it was lancing through my chest...

I dug my fingernails harder into my arms and tightened up in my curled position. A few days of freedom and _happiness_, and I'd forgotten all the sufferings I endured. It was my fault. It was my fault he was dead...

Why? Why did he have to die? There was no need to kill him... So what if he knew I existed? He... he only knew me as another child. He didn't know me as E-0061, he didn't know me as a killer... he didn't even know anything about the Super Human Research Institute, about all the secret, gruesome operations and tests we went through...

So why? Why is he dead?

Why is it so _unfair?_ Why did someone who didn't deserve death... die?

What is _wrong_ with this world, where all these sufferings exist? The Super Human Research Institute... I managed to escape. But all the others were still back there, all my brothers and sisters were still being experimented on... they were still living in pain, still living under the constant shadow of being forced to fight each other and either dying at each other's hands or being disposed of by our creators...

... _Survival of the fittest..._ _Kill or be killed..._

Why is this world so _twisted?_ Why is it that the children out here have loving parents with them, while all we have are creators who'd kill us without a second thought, just for being a 'failed specimen'?

Why is this world so _distorted?_

... I was huddled in the corner of a car right now. A rather dark car, but a car nonetheless. The man-who-wasn't-dead was driving up front, and tall buildings and skyscrapers flashed past quickly in the fogged window above to my head. Street lights along the road dimly illuminated the street and outlined the faint silhouette of rain needles falling outside in the cold night.

Rain...

The sky is crying.

Prologue : End

**:3 How was it? Sorry if things seem a little dark and extreme… -_-" that's not my intention, honest! … **

**(Also, for anyone who might be interested, I'm in the midst of writing a Bleach fic and a Hakuouki fic. Check it out if you're interested, I guess? XD)**

… **Aaaanyways, please let me know what your opinion! ^^ Constructive criticism is much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome to the first (official) chapter! XD **

**Thanks a lot to Juliedoo for reviewing! ( I sort of wanted a serious/mysterious start to the story, but I think the first few sentences just ended up kinda bloody and the entire prologue pretty dark and depressing. -.-" definitely not my intention! o_o I'm really grateful for your encouraging review, though. :D It means a lot to me!)**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy! ^^**

Ch 1 : Celestial Being

::AD 2307::

::AEU Demonstration Area::

A few wispy clouds drifted about lazily in the deep blue sky, sleepily following the gentle nudges of an invisible wind breezing past. The sun shone brightly, cheerfully casting its radiant light upon a tall, silvery structure that reached far into the starlit heavens beyond...

The Orbital Space Elevator.

It looked rather pretty, a pillar of white that headed directly into space... but still, this isn't exactly the time to be admiring sights like a tourist.

Far, far below, in a large field, a green mobile suit burst into action. Displaying an admirable mix of strength and speed, it swiftly disposed of the targets that were set up around it at all sorts of different angles. A finishing aerial stunt in which the last of the targets were efficiently destroyed was executed perfectly mid-air, drawing even more impressed gasps from the audience fixated intently on its performance.

"Amazing..." Some of the men murmured, staring in awe.

I had to stifle a chortle at this point. Sure, it might be good according to _their_ standards... but they really haven't seen anything yet. Tch.

"Mobile suit Enact, the AEU's first solar energy-compatible model," I blinked, my attention caught by one of the men musing aloud. His long brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, and there were a pair of rectangular glasses perched across his eyes. Judging the white coat he was wearing and the way he was analyzing the suit... he was most likely a member of the research department.

"At least they want to do something about their mobile suits," A blond-haired man arrived beside him, gazing out into the testing field. Both of his hands were casually stuffed into the pockets of his blue uniform.

"Hey, is this okay?" The research-department man looked slightly surprised, "For the ace of the MSWAD to be in a place like this..."

"Of course it's not okay," The blond shrugged, ignoring the incredulous look he just received from his friend and taking a seat instead.

The brown-haired man shook his head at him, deciding to change the subject, "You know... the AEU's got some nerve alright, announcing their new model at the same time as the Human Reform League's 10th anniversary ceremony."

The blond crossed his legs as he made himself comfortable, "So, what do you think of their suit so far?"

His brown-haired companion smiled helplessly, "To be perfectly honest, it's just a shameless copy of our Flag. The only thing original about it is the exterior design-"

"HEY, I can hear you!"

I giggled as the two of them jerked simultaneously at the indignant outburst directed at them. The Enact's pilot got out of the cockpit and glared in their general direction, "What did you just say, huh? Come on!"

"... Well, at least its hearing sensors are sharp," The blond remarked dryly.

His companion laughed, "I guess so."

"240082," A serious voice suddenly sounded from my earpiece, and I immediately returned my attention to my surroundings at hand. Surveying the situation was all fine and good, but I couldn't let myself get distracted by some conversation. After all, _this_ was much more important than eavesdropping on two Union officers. I can't lose my concentration, not now... Especially since this is our first mission, our grand entrance.

"Exia, target destination confirmed. I will stop the GN particles when I reach the destination."

I swerved the display area of the screen in front of me to focus more on the green Enact. Faintly above it, I could make out the traces of a glittering trail against the blue sky, right near the Orbital Space Elevator.

"Primary target located. The first phase will proceed as planned."

I watched intently as the glowing sparks became closer and closer to the demonstration area. Already I could catch the general form of Exia, its blue and white armor gleaming resplendently as it reflected the sunlight.

... Since Exia is already this close... I bet the AEU forces are freaking out over why their communication devices are jammed just about now.

The Enact pilot finally realized there was another mobile suit headed for him, and he quickly headed back in, despite the orders his commander was shouting at him. That was fine, though. Things were advancing perfectly in accordance to Ms. Sumeragi's plans...

Exia touched down lightly on the ground, turning to face the Enact. Currently, the AEU security was trying to get everyone to evacuate, making confusion and pandemonium spread through the mass of spectators even faster.

"Oi, oi, who are you working for?" The Enact began moving again as its pilot took control again, "The Union? The Human Reform League? Well, either way... you've stepped into someone else's territory. I'm not letting you get away that easily!"

A blade was brandished directly at Exia, "Do you even know who I am? I'm Patrick Colasour of the AEU, the special one who has never even lost a mock battle! I won't let you beat me!"

His knife began spinning rapidly, emitting a high-pitched screeching noise, and the Enact charged forward recklessly.

"Exia, eliminating the target."

The blade along Exia's arm sprung out, and in one fluid motion the Enact's arm was cut off.

Shock was palpable in the air as astonished cries of disbelief came from the onlookers. Even the pilot of the Enact was stunned into silence... for a few moments, at least, before he regained his senses again, "You bastard, you don't get it, do you?"

... Or not. There are plenty of idiots out there without any common sense, after all.

Exia spun, the shot from the Enact's gun missing completely. The familiar light of the beam saber Exia wielded flickered briefly as the Enact was ruthlessly taken down in three strokes. There was a huge thud as the green mobile suit collapsed to the ground, utterly decimated and missing several components (includeding both of its arms). The pilot continued screaming, though, all sorts of nonsensities about his supposed 'fame' and being 'unbeatable'...

The same voice sounded in my earpiece again, as Exia's pilot completely ignored the ensuing panic he'd just caused, "Exia, first phase complete. Proceeding to second phase."

GN particles began streaming into the air again, and the Gundam rose into skies once more. As expected, the AEU were quickly recovering from their loss, starting to deploy their forces after Exia...

I tightened my grip on the controllers from my spot, a small thrill running through me as I was finally going to be piloting my Gundam for the first official mission.

... Any time now...

None of the mobile suits were able to stand against Exia for long, since a few slashes were all it took for the machines to go tumbling down. The AEU Hellions switched to a different tactic, staying at bay and going for long-ranged attacks. They didn't seem to be actively trying to bring Exia down, though... it... it was more like they were trying to stall for time...

"Reinforcements," I muttered, just as more dark green mobile suits appeared from the depths of the Orbital Space Elevator, "The AEU has so many armaments hidden inside the pillar..."

"Heh, this might be tough even for Setsuna," Another window popped up on my screen, revealing a familiar brown-haired man. He cracked a good-natured grin at me, "Shall we aim at a few of them for him, Spica?"

I smiled back at him, "You've got it, Lockon."

"Let's go, then! This will be the first battle!" I briefly saw him pulling down the giant gun before his image disappeared, and I was left staring at a blank spot on the screen.

"Eh, I should get started, too," I straightened up as I reached out with my hands, my fingers reflexively closing around the complex switches with a firm hold. Nervousness and adrenalin twittered through my body for the briefest of moments as I steeled myself. Everything, all the training I went through these years... it was all going to begin now.

_I can do this._

"Gundam Luchanti, striking down the targets," I said, feeling my mobile suit moving smoothly in unison to my commands. Piloting is like second nature for me, after all... though, whether it was through my own efforts... or because of those experiments...

I shook my head roughly, dispelling the scattered thoughts from my mind.

"Thorns, pierce!" I commanded.

Four lances whistled upwards from their hidden compartments according to my control, slicing through the group of mobile suits using their sheer numbers to attempt containing Exia. These Thorns had many purposes, and acting as blades was one of them. Luchanti was equipped with a total of eight Thorns, four if you subtracted the ones I'd just sent out.

The Thorns weren't exactly the strongest or the most durable of weapons, but they were fast and sharp. The main advantage lied in their speed and high maneuverability, as well as its many different methods of utilization. In close combat, I could use them along with Luchanti's GN beam saber... or, simply just use them as swords to overwhelm the target directly. There were a lot more functions the Thorns had (other than just being swords), but it mainly depended on what the situation was calling for...

"Gotcha," After dispatching another one, the yellow blurs of my Thorns moved in to attack-

I almost swore, swerving them away just in time as a blast of pink-tinted GN particles took care of the mobile suit I'd been aiming for.

"Lockon!" I grumbled.

It was by complete chance that a different Hellion somehow tilted wildly of course, falling directly in front of my spinning Thorns. Not one to waste a chance, I quickly directed them forward and shredded the suit to pieces, avoiding the cockpit. Thankfully, nobody realized our mis-coordination... the consequences of that would've been disastrous. God knows how Tieria would react to a mess-up like that...

I shivered involuntarily.

Exia lunged at another Hellion, swinging the large blade on its arm and instantly decapitating the last of the AEU forces. Looking at the trail of smoke from the wreckage as it spiraled toward the ground, I let out a small sigh. Things could've gone much worse, I guess... At least we finished the mission successfully, and revealed to the world that the AEU had stationed far more troops in the Orbital Elevator than was allowed by the treaty.

"We're done," I slid back in my seat and pushed a few levers gently, watching my yellow Thorns fly back to me.

Setsuna's voice came alive next to my ear once more, "Second phase-"

"-Complete," Lockon finished.

::Unknown Island::

_"I would like to address this statement to every single human being born and raised on earth,"_ The black-dressed man began, looking directly into the recorder, "_We call ourselves simply Celestial Being. We are a private armed organization in possession of the mobile weapon Gundam. The main objective of Celestial Being's activities is to completely eliminate all acts of war from this world. We do not act for our own benefit, or for personal gain. We have chosen to intervene for the greatest goal of all: to rid ourselves of the scourge of war."_

Get rid of war.

If there was no more war, then there was no need to fight...

If there was no need to fight, then there wouldn't be any more... Super Soldiers, like me, created... there would be no more suffering for ones like my brothers and sisters...

There wouldn't be any more tragedies like the one with Mr. Laelia all those years ago repeating itself. There would be no more senseless violence, no more unnecessary deaths, looping and looping in endless chains...

_"As of this moment, I make this declaration to all humanity,"_ Aeolia Schenberg continued,_ "Territory, religion, energy... no matter what the reason or excuse, if there is an evident act of war being carried out, we will commence intervention by force. Any country, organization, or corporation that promotes war will also be a legitimate target for our intervention. We are Celestial Being. We are an armed organization that is established to eliminate all acts of war from this world."_

_"I repeat..."_

The small holographic screen disappeared, and I looked up to see Lockon stowing the portable device back into his pocket.

"It's begun," He murmured, "It's beginning... and it can't be stopped."

The foreboding aura that followed the normally optimistic man's words was eventually broken by the orange robotic ball, Haro, bouncing up and down on the ground, "Can't be stopped! Can't be stopped!"

Lockon leaned against the stone boulder behind him, his eyes flickering to us, "... We picked a fight with the world. Got it, Setsuna, Spica?"

Setsuna, standing off to the side, merely nodded as he took of his helmet, "Yes... I know."

I arched my head up at the three Gundams lined together. Lockon's Dynames was situated in the middle of Setsuna's Exia and my Luchanti, a splash of green between blue and yellow. The warm golden color of Luchanti's armor almost seemed to glow against its surroundings in the dusky night, its pointed bronze plates circling over white metals in a fluid swirl. Luchanti is actually the smallest of the five Gundams, but it also possessed the slimmest build and highest mobility out of all of them. Adding the Thorns into the equation, Luchanti was perfect for things like creating diversions and facing off small groups of enemies.

... Luchanti.

My Gundam.

Staring up at her filled me with an incredible, indescribable feeling, and I could almost _feel_ my resolve solidify even further. The world was going to change. No, the world _is_ going to change. The five of us... Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism, Setsuna F. Seiei, Tieria Erde... and me, Spica Duciel. We are going to be the catalyst for the change with our Gundams.

Setsuna narrowed his eyes in determination as he broke the heavy silence that had fallen over us.

"We are... Celestial Being's Gundam Meisters."

Chapter 1 : End

**... Any thoughts? ^^"For some reason, I feel like this is almost a recap of the first episode, just… with a character thrown in. o_o" I'll do my best to focus on the OC perspective more for the next chapter… I read over this one a couple times and I couldn't figure out a good way to change it. Um, feel free to give me some tips, I guess? XD Constructive criticism is appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the second chapter! ^^ Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed, your tips were really helpful. :D I feel a little bit better about this chapter, but everything is still a little episode-based… still, I hope it's better now! .**

**Please read and tell me what you think! ^^**

Ch 2 : Intervention

"Hatch open! Hatch open!"

I smiled to myself at Haro's enthusiasm, my hands moving fluidly over the levers and switches as the operating information flickered across the screen around me. Everything was in excellent condition and perfect working order, the 'all-green' signal beeping in front of me several times before it disappeared. In its place I could see a projection of the outside surroundings, with the bright blue sky stretching far into the horizon.

"Exia, Dynames, Luchanti, prepare to sortie!" Haro chirped again, "Prepare to sortie!"

My fingers rested on the main controls as I felt Luchanti being pushed upwards into a standing position for take-off. Wang Liu Mei, one of our main agents and financers, had just relayed our next mission to us. She was still here right now, and I could see her standing next to her bodyguard Hong Long beside our opened hatches. The passing wind whipped her long hair in an elegant fashion, splaying it out in artistic swirls around her form-fitting safari regalia.

Dynames picked up the gun next to it, and Exia began walking onto the grass. I ran a last minute check-up on Luchanti as I moved out as well, careful to leave enough space between our Gundams so we wouldn't end up crashing into each other.

"GN particles, commencing dispersion!" The robotic voice of Haro floated over, "Commencing dispersion!"

There was a whirring sound, and I knew that the sparkling light was beginning to fill the air again.

"Luchanti, Spica Duciel," I gripped the lever, pushing it forward, "Sortieing."

The familiar pressure on my body as the Gundam rose into the air was strangely comforting, but I didn't have time to dwell on such trivial feelings. In the end, Luchanti was much more than just a mobile suit I was piloting... she was an extension of me. She personified my will to fight, my desire to eradicate war from the world.

I hovered above the ground for a split second as Exia took the lead, Dynames following swiftly. Luchanti flew last, and I had to accelerate a little to catch up with them. The small, secluded island was rapidly fading behind us, and within a few moments it was nothing more than a mere speck amongst the blue ocean waves.

Destination: Ceylon. An island located in Southern India, part of the Human Reform League. Formerly known as Sri Lanka, Ceylon Island is currently in a state of anarchy. The Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority living there are in the midst of a civil war that dated long back into the 20th century, spanning over 300 years. Due to the HRL's decision to back the Tamil minority, the conflict escalated during the last ten years and caused the country to fall into anarchy. In truth, the real motive of the HRL was only to ensure the safety of their solar energy pipeline, located under the ocean off to the east coast of Ceylon Island... an area controlled by the Tamil people.

As Celestial Being, our mission is to end this ethnic conflict by armed intervention.

Two glittering trails caught my eye, and I lowered my speed a little, trailing right behind Dynames and Exia.

"They're here," Lockon's image appeared in the screen in front of me, "It's Allelujah and Tieria."

"Yeah, I see them," I nodded, "Proceeding to the rendezvous point."

A picture of Setsuna came up next to Lockon's, "Entering the first phase."

We began heading upwards, leaving the ocean surface to approach Kyrios and Virtue. I remained close to Dynames as the five of us moved into a diamond formation, with Exia still leading in the front.

Each of the Gundams specialized in different areas. Exia's strength lied with close combat, while Dynames excelled at long-range fighting (namely, sniping... Lockon has a wicked aim). Kyrios, piloted by Allelujah, could easily transform between its current jet-like fighter form and a mobile suit form, faring well both close and long range. Not quite as strong as Exia or Dynames in each of their respective aspects, but very well-rounded. The mobility of Kyrios was second only to Luchanti, though its speed was the fastest of the five Gundams. Now, Virtue's mobility and speed are a different story altogether, but the heavy armor it was equipped with more than made up for that. In terms of destructive power, Virtue completely dominated us all, the energy blasts from its GN Bazooka and shoulder-mounted double-barrel GN Cannons capable of obliterating enemies in a single blow.

Ceylon Island was beginning to come into sight now, and I frowned at the black smoke trailing from it. Seems like the fighting was really heavy there... I shouldn't be surprised, though, what with the HRL was supplying weapons and such to the Tamil people... and the Sinhalese most likely had their own backers, too...

"Proceed to your allocated mission objective based on Sumeragi Lee Noriega's combat projections," Lockon instructed as we neared the island, "I expect everybody to give their best performance. Good luck."

"That depends on the individual," Allelujah's voice traveled over the communicators.

"I will do a thorough job," Tieria spoke.

"Do as you wish," He seemed a little amused by their reactions, "Hey, Setsuna, Spica, are you two listening? Respond!"

"Yeah, I heard you," I replied as I moved Luchanti a little to the left, "Roger that."

Silence fell over us as we waited for Setsuna's affirmation... which we never got.

"Setsuna?" Lockon asked again, "Setsuna! Respond, Setsuna!"

A mix of concern and unease bubbled up inside me as I waited anxiously. Setsuna was the only Gundam Meister around my age, albeit he was always rather cold and detached... Even so, he wasn't one to go around ignoring others. Was there something wrong...?

"Gundam."

I blinked, utterly perplexed. 'Gundam'? What kind of answer is that? Did I mishear him or something?

Lockon seemed to be thrown for a loop as well, "What did you say?"

... This time, there was no mistaking Setsuna's words, "I am Gundam."

I frowned a little, "Gundam...?"

"What are you talking about?" Confusion and worry were evident in Lockon's tone, "What -Oi, oi, Setsuna!"

Exia suddenly broke formation and charged forward toward the battle site with a burst of speed, ignoring him completely.

"I'll leave the babysitting to you," Kyrios swerved to the left.

"Huh?"

"Commencing the operation," Virtue flew away in the opposite direction.

"Hey, you two!"

The concern nagging at the corner of me receded in that moment as I focused instead on suppressing the urge to giggle as Lockon was quickly abandoned. Miraculously, I was succeeding...!

"Short straw! Short straw!" That did it; I burst out laughing when Haro added its own commentary to Lockon's plight.

"Hush, I know that," He grumbled, but immediately brightened when he noticed I was still here, "Spica! How-"

"Don't mistake me," I held up my hands in mock-surrender, still smiling, "We just happen to be headed in the same direction." Which was true, technically.

Lockon finally resigned himself to his fate, "Concentrating on the fire control. I'll leave the evasive maneuvers to you, Haro..."

I closed the communication link between us so I could focus my attention on the mission. Setsuna and I were tasked with going in for melee combat this time, and Lockon was to be sniping the enemies from afar. I needed to terminate the enemies in the eastern area, while Setsuna was charged with the ones to the west.

Spotting the rugged brown mobile suits that were engaged in combat, I immediately veered over, leaving Lockon to continue after Setsuna. This was it... Celestial Being's first intervention.

"Luchanti, conflict confirmed," I braced myself, "Proceeding to eradication. Thorns, pierce!"

The yellow lances spiraled out from the hidden compartments on Luchanti, but instead of launching them like last time, I kept them close to me in a tight circle. There were far too many opponents for me to face this time, and I didn't want to spread out Luchanti's attack power too thin. That would only make me vulnerable if they were to use their superior numbers to their advantage. Instead, I would go for them one at a time, using the Thorns to rapidly overwhelm them systematically.

Plan settled in mind, I bore down on my first target, pulling out and activating the GN beam saber from Luchanti's leg. The poor bloke never knew what hit him as I directed my Thorns to sever the arms and legs of the mobile suit, cutting off the head with the pink-tinged beam saber.

"One down," I whispered to myself, spinning Luchanti and sending the Thorns to tear apart the Anf on my right as I lashed out with the beam saber at the same time to slice another one in half. With the mobile suits closest to me down, I gathered my Thorns and leaped onto another unsuspecting target, stabbing it as the yellow lances proceeded to render it useless.

Fighting. This is what I'm created for... death and destruction.

... But death and destruction only cause suffering. If I can use my skills to help put an end to the death and destruction, to the suffering...

I'm not stupid. I know that things aren't that perfect, that suffering can't be ended just like this. But I'm willing to give my all for it, I'm willing to fight for a better world, _I'm willing to fight for what I believe in. _

Luchanti smoothly glided over the ground, the sharp turns and twists maneuvered in a way that almost felt like a dance. A deadly dance, to be sure. Crouching low, I used the momentum from a particularly fast move to slam into the mobile suit next to me, thrusting the beam saber into it as I commanded the Thorns to surround and attack as well. A series of quick beeps alerted me to an Anf coming up behind me, and I quickly used one of the Thorns to block the energy bullets it shot toward me.

"Go!" I shouted, and the other three Thorns became a yellow blur as they spun through the air, cutting the Anf into four separate pieces that thudded into the ground with a loud crash.

Scanning the battlefield, I pushed the lever forward, feeling Luchanti lurch forward for the briefest of moments as we picked up speed again. The golden lances spiraled around me, deflecting the attacks that came my way and cleaving through any enemy that came to close. I gritted my teeth as I raised Luchanti's beam saber again, gutting the other Anf that was trying to get a drop on me. It was slightly disorienting to be facing off against so many enemies, some of them panicked while others still determined, when I had to keep my concentration not only on the opponent in front of me but on my lances as well. Even so, I could do this... after all that training which I had to keep my focus...

Slowly but surely, their ranks were beginning to thin out. Already a few of them were fleeing the battle site, and I couldn't help but give a small sigh of relief. It's not that I can't take them on... I just don't want to kill any more than necessary.

After all... being made to kill doesn't mean I have to enjoy killing.

"It's over."

Luchanti straightened up after dismantling the last enemy, and I surveyed the rocky terrain one more time. Broken machinery from mobile suits littered the ground, with smoke still curling off them. There were a few small fires blazing along the ground, and craters were seen everywhere I looked. Gigantic boulders scattered around messily as well.

Death. Destruction.

This isn't going to be the only battle I'd have to fight. The world isn't going to change because of a single armed intervention... But we _are_ going to change the world, and we will intervene as many times as needed. Until all wars come to an end, until all hatred is directed at us... we would keep on fighting.

Celestial Being.

We are the pain required to bring about change.

... This... is what it means to be a Gundam Meister.

I turned my back to the carnage and tilted the lever again. Luchanti lifted higher off the ground and I left, heading to rendezvous with the others.

The myriad of rosy colors cast by the setting sun gently spilled over the ocean, glinting beautifully as violet mixed with pink, and pink melted in with orange. It looked so idyllic and peaceful, such a drastic change from where I was mere seconds ago...

... The world is just filled with contradictions, isn't it?

I spotted three other Gundams skimming across the waves and began heading over, opening my communication line on an afterthought.

"Where's Exia?" I heard Allelujah ask as soon as I finished fiddling with the controls, "Don't tell me it got shot down."

A brief flashback of Setsuna's strange reaction when we'd arrived flitted over my mind, and for some obscure reason... the very mention of the possibility of Exia being brought down sent waves of apprehension through me. Maybe it was because we were all members of Celestial Being?

"Setsuna went back before us," Lockon replied easily, and I found myself relaxing my hold on the levers a little. Wait, when did I even tighten my grip again, anyways? "It's his first armed intervention. He just needs some time to think."

"... I don't get it," Tieria spoke, "Why is _he_ a Gundam Meister?"

... I know what he is referring to... The way Setsuna broke formation and charged into battle ahead of us, without even telling us beforehand...

I remained silent, opting to fall into position beside Dynames.

Setsuna...

Setsuna never really talked much. He was very... reclusive, I guess, and he didn't open up to others.

...

Okay, so he didn't open up to anyone at all. I never really went beyond the normal greetings and mission debriefings with him, but... we were Gundam Meisters. That meant he was a comrade too, right? A... friend?

"Hey... I'm going to catch up with Setsuna, alright?"

I think Lockon might've started to reply something to my abrupt statement, but I closed the communication lines again. Pulling ahead of the others, I began speeding up in the general direction of our destination.

Setsuna was a pretty calm and detached person, never interacting with us much... but there were rare times when he would act impulsively, just like today. He _usually_ wasn't the type of person to act impulsively per se, but... there were times when he showed he was human, too. It was at these times that I was drawn to the undeniable fact that Setsuna F. Seiei was a mystery.

I liked figuring out puzzles. But that's not the point here. It was... concern for a fellow Meister, I guess. If Lockon had ran off, I knew I'd definitely track him down-

... Nah. I can't imagine Lockon pulling a Setsuna on us. But-

"What the hell?" The sensors picked up an incoming attack and I swerved Luchanti to the side, evading the blue-tinted blast just in time. I cursed to myself as I quickly checked for enemies on the side of the screen, mentally berating myself for letting my attention wander again. For someone who was supposed to be unusually aware of their surroundings, I was a such an _airhead._

"A Flag?" My eyes widened in surprise, but I'm pretty sure they bulged to the size of saucers when a message popped up next to it, as well as another glowing dot on the map, "It's fighting Exia!"

I gripped the controls as I accelerated even faster without a second thought.

"Thorns, pierce!" I called out.

Four yellow flashes shot out immediately and I quickly followed, the urge to _hurry_ completely dominating my instincts. When the gray Flag came into sight, still shooting at Exia, I sent the Thorns hurtling-

The Flag somehow sensed them at the last second, dodging to the side. One of my Thorns missed completely, while two only left gouges in its side. Only the last of them was able to deal decent damage, taking off a leg at the joint.

... Even so, my assault had been enough to distract the Flag's pilot. Setsuna took the momentary opening and rushed in, destroying the rifle weapon it held in its hands with one blow. The Flag finally realized the huge disadvantage it was at, not to mention that Exia was dangerously close, and quickly shot backwards in a hasty retreat.

I grimaced, even as I watched the Flag fly away... Although I started attacking from a pretty far range, that pilot was _good_, to be able to avoid my Thorns like that.

Pushing that thought to the side, I contacted Setsuna instead, "What was that just now?"

"A solo sortie," His image appeared on my screen.

"Who was it, though?" I pressed.

"... I don't know."

That was a disturbing thought. A skilled pilot, unknown... that would be more trouble stirring up in the future.

"Are you alright?" I asked instead, switching the topic.

"I'm fine," Short, staccato, and to the point. Really, what had I been expecting from him?

"... And you?"

...

I admit, that was unexpected.

"Oh, uh... same here," I stuttered for a moment, but managed to catch myself.

An awkward silence descended upon us after that, and I fidgeted slightly.

The silence was broken when Exia began moving again, going back on course for our rendezvous point with the others. There was this strangest twinge in my chest as I followed, but... I'm not quite sure what it is. It felt rather uncomfortable, though...

"Hey, Setsuna?" I was struck by an uneasy thought as the remnants of the battle replayed in my mind again, "That Flag... was it trying to get a piece of Exia to bring back or something?"

"... Most likely," He turned to the left, and I mimicked the movement, "The Gundams... there's a lot of people who desire power out there."

"Say," I pulled up Luchanti beside Exia so we were side by side, "Setsuna... Is there war because of people who desire power, or is it simply because destruction is in the nature of humans? ... Or... maybe... is it something else entirely?"

It had been nagging at me for awhile now. I joined Celestial Being shortly after Mr. Laelia was murdered. I joined so that no one else would have to go through the same pain I did, so no one else would bear the loss of those dear to them. I also joined because of who I _am_, a Super Soldier. The inhumane treatment at the facility and the excruciating pain from those scientists' experimenting... no one should have to go through that. Ever.

But what was the source of all this suffering? Celestial Being was taking action to eradicate war, which this suffering was stemming from... but... what did _war_ originate from?

What, indeed?

Ch 2 : End

**Lol, I didn't really like the last part, but… yeah, kinda got stuck. ^^" Help/comment?**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello, everyone.**

**I apologize for not updating for so long, as I've lost interest in writing fanfics for awhile with a lot of things going on in my life. However, I'm starting to pick up writing again, though I may not be updating regularly for awhile.**

**Anyways, here is the next installment of ****Tempest****! Please enjoy!**

Chapter 3 : Surface

_"Passengers departing on Pillar of Heaven Travel Bureau Train E273, please board at gate A12."_

The voice echoing from the intercom filled the large room packed with travelers, people chatting idly as they carted around luggage and such. Setsuna stepped through the set of glass sliding doors, pausing for a brief second for me to catch up, and we walked toward the small table where the others were waiting.

"Yo, you little rascals are late," Lockon glanced over casually, the brown vest over his green shirt shifting a little as he did so.

"We thought you died," Tieria didn't even bother glancing at us as he calmly sipped his drink.

Allelujah showed more concern for us than the other two, "Did something happen?"

"We filed a report on it to Veda," Setsuna spoke for both of us, and I settled for a small affirmative sound.

"I'll look over it later," Tieria nodded to us.

"Yeah."

...

"Well, at least all of us made it out safely," Lockon looked on the bright side of things, easing out the silence that had shrouded over us again. He then turned to the purple-haired meister in a lower voice, "Tieria, we'll leave space to you. We'll be heading out for the next mission soon."

"I'll obey orders," Tieria stated plainly as he held up the forged identification in his hand, "Although I'm anxious as to..."

Blurk, another reference to the way Setsuna acted when we arrived at Ceylon. Except this time he was probably adding me onto the list as well, since I came in late with him...

"Thank you for waiting," At that moment, we were interrupted by the friendly waiter who waltzed over, setting down two glasses in front of me and Setsuna, "Enjoy your drinks."

"Milk..." Setsuna identified the smooth creamy liquid and immediately looked up at Lockon, who grinned, giving us a thumbs-up.

"It's on me!"

My eyes flickered to the milk again, and I was just about to drink it when a sudden thought hit my mind. I abruptly placed the glass back down as I regarded him warily with newfound suspicion.

"This had better not be another joke about my height, Lockon."

He laughed, "What makes you think that?"

"Everything," I deadpanned, eyebrow twitching.

There was even a small smile on Allelujah's face when he started talking again, that traitor. "Anyways, is it really possible to return a suit to space with the Orbital Elevator?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Lockon took another gulp of his own drink, "As planned, we'll hide it with the materials they're using to develop the colony. As long as the weight he carries is the same as everyone else, the following security checks are as good as nothing. Especially here."

We watched as Tieria walked into an elevator, turning around and looking back at us for a moment before he stepped inside.

"A true blind spot," Allelujah concluded, "... If we have a weak point, then... it's that, without the Gundams, the operational time of the Ptolemy would be extremely limited. Our mere five solar furnaces-"

Setsuna grabbed his shoulder roughly, cutting him off, "Don't discuss confidential information."

"Sorry," Allelujah apologized, straightening and brushing off his hand.

Lockon glanced over at the screen near the top of the room, "Tieria's train is departing."

_"Pillar of Heaven Travel Bureau Train E277 is departing as scheduled at 14:18, 5:32 GMT."_

The Pillar of Heaven. A linear rail that traveled directly into space.

"Should we go back now?" Allelujah asked, matching Lockon's pace as we left the station, "I'd like a day off at least."

Lockon stretched, yawning, "You've gotta hammer the iron while it's still red-hot. If we just do it once or twice, the world won't acknowledge us..."

I found myself walking next to Setsuna as we followed the older meisters, and, oddly enough, it was... comfortable. Before, things would feel stiff and awkward, but we had a companionable silence between us right now. Come to think of it... what changed?

I winced as we came out from the shade and the bright sun shining outside stung my eyes. All thoughts of Setsuna flew from my mind. Sunglasses sounded pretty good right about now...

::Ceylon Island::

The mobile suit pinned in place by four yellow lances struggled wildly, before it was reduced to pieces with a few swift strokes. I sighed, lowering the pink beam saber in Luchanti's hand and recalling my Thorns to my side.

"First phase complete," I spoke, "Contin-"

I broke off at the sensors beeping again, seeing a red dot heading towards our direction.

"Reinforcements?" A small grimace instinctively made its way onto my face.

Exia raised its shield to block the barrage of bullets shooting our way, and I did the same using my Thorns. The new arrival, the Tieren, circled back and landed on the ground as it proceeded to cast aside its gun, bringing out a rounded hand blade instead.

"... Don't tell me it's just trying to test us," I muttered to myself, running through a list of possibilities for the Tieren's strange actions. Exia and Luchanti obviously excelled at close combat, why would the Tieren give up its ranged advantage?

The Tieren aimed for Exia with its heavy blade, but missed when Exia crouched and sprung forward at the last second, taking off its arm. However, as soon as Exia turned to attack, the Tieren's other arm shot forward and grabbed Exia's head. Due to their close proximity, Setsuna couldn't cut off the Tieren's arm with Exia's blade...

Without even thinking, my fingers pressed down on the controls, "Thorns, pierce!"

Four yellow glints, and the Tieren crumbled to the ground in pieces. Well, that, and Setsuna had pulled out Exia's beam saber to cut off the Tieren's arm, slicing through the mobile suit's entire right side as well.

"You alright?" I asked as Exia reached an arm up, pulling off the offending limb. It sure clung on pretty tight.

"... Yeah."

As he prepared to leave, I couldn't help but take another glance at the Tieren. Its move was... surprisingly bold, and unexpected.

We would have to watch out for more attacks like that in the future. There would be plenty of opposition from the three power blocks against our interventions... that much I was completely positive of.

But that didn't mean I was going to give up. Not now and not ever.

::HRL Joint Command Center::

"So, how was it, Lieutenant Colonel?" A military commander reclined in his chair, "You fought the Gundam, didn't you? Give me your honest opinion."

"Yes, sir." The man standing at attention had a huge scar over his right eye, "It's just my personal opinion, but I believe a mobile suit which can match the performance of the Gundam doesn't exist in any country on this planet."

"So it's that powerful?"

"It's merely my personal opinion."

"... In that case, it seems that I made the right choice in calling you here," He straightened in his seat, "Lieutenant Colonel, get your hands on a Gundam. Do it before the Union or the AEU does."

"Yes, sir," He saluted.

"A special task force will be formed," The commander elaborated, "I will leave the personal selection to you... but there are two soldiers I want you to look after."

The Lieutenant Colonel raised an eyebrow at that.

"Enter," The commander ordered, turning to the set of doors behind him.

A young girl. A young girl, and a young boy. The girl had long silvery-white hair falling over her dark green military uniform, while the boy had dark red hair spiking out. Both of them were perfectly in synch as they strode into the room and saluted the two older men.

"Pardon us," The golden-eyed girl spoke, "We were dispatched from the Super Human Research Institute's technical research facility. I am Super Soldier No. 1, Soma Peries."

"I am Super Soldier No. 2," The crimson orbs of the boy flickered lightly as he introduced himself, "Orion Lechasseur."

"Super Human Research Institute?" The Lieutenant Colonel turned to the seated man, "Commander, don't tell me that project was..."

"It seems that it was carried out secretly," The Commander confirmed, "The higher-ups believe that it will be our trump card against the Gundams."

The duo stepped forward and the girl started speaking again, "As of today, we have been assigned to the Lieutenant Colonel's special task force. It is an honor to serve under you."

Sergei Smirnov, the "Wild Bear of Russia", felt a pang in his heart, an unusual emotion that he seldom felt as he gazed at the two children standing at attention before him.

"They're too young to be trump cards..."

::Union (Japan)::

"Um, are you my new neighbor?" A soft-spoken voice drifted down the hall as I walked along the carpet, finally letting my hair out of the high ponytail I kept it in for the past few days. I idly ran my hand through the straight mahogany strands, making a small note to get a comb sometime from Christina. Or maybe I could just cut it. It was getting rather long, running all the way down my back, and starting to get to be a real pain...

The apartment complex looked quite nice overall, with marbled red pillars every few rooms apart. There were also plants and grasses spaced out evenly, and the pink flowers were in full bloom.

... I wonder if Chris picked this place.

Since we were staying on the Surface for a while in order to conduct our armed interventions, we had to get a place to live in between missions. I was rooming with Setsuna, as we were placed together for the majority of them, anyways. After all, our Gundams were the ones best suited for close-combat oriented tasks out of all five. Placing Luchanti with Exia would only heighten our destructive power, and Luchanti would be a good backup in case temporary long-range support was needed.

"My name is Saji Crossroad. I live here with my older sister," I rounded the corner, buttoning up the red collared blouse over the white camisole I wore underneath. It would forever baffle me as to how I found them stashed in my supplies... not that I wasn't grateful, of course. I didn't really fancy wandering around the streets in a space suit.

"Setsuna F. Seiei."

"Hmm, Seiei? What a unique name. Nice to mee-"

I came over just in time to see a door swing shut in front of the brown-haired boy who'd been attempting to strike up a conversation with Setsuna.

He sighed, frowning and retracting his hand that had been proffered out for a handshake, "How unfriendly."

"That's Setsuna for you," I went over to the door that had just closed, "It's alright, he doesn't like to talk much."

He gave a small start when he noticed me, "A-ah! I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay," I reached for the handle of the room-

"Are you siblings?" He asked curiously, "You don't really look alike..."

"We're not," I replied, "We're only rooming together."

"Oh, but then-... um..." His face turned rather red and his words seemed awkward, much to my puzzlement, "Uh..."

I mentally shrugged at his strange behavior, and decided to end our tirade, "I guess I'll be seeing you around, then, Saji Crossroad."

So saying, I opened the door and quickly stepped into the room. Setsuna looked over at me as I came in, already playing the JNN news on the small handheld screen.

_"Early this morning, in Northern Ireland, the terrorist organization Real IRA officially announced that it will cease all armed terrorist action."_ The female broadcaster reported.

_"With this, after 40 years, the civil war that has persisted in Northern Ireland comes to an end, giving way to peace." _A different reporter continued,_ "According to the authorities, the private paramilitary organization Celestial Being has..."_

"The world is beginning to change," Setsuna said quietly, turning off the broadcast.

"That it is," I agreed as I sat down next to him on the mattress, "But... it's kind of hard to believe, really... two interventions, and there's already a difference. Not that I'm not glad for it, but... this type of peace... how long can it last? They're only stopping because they don't want to risk an intervention from Celestial Being. As soon as we stop, they'll just start fighting again..."

"That's why we're going to keep on fighting," He said resolutely, "We're going to fight for the eradication of war."

"Yeah," I nodded, smiling a little, "We'll keep on fighting... as Gundam Meisters."

Setsuna mainly kept to himself, distancing himself from us and remaining silent most of the time... but there was a sort of understanding between us now. He didn't seem quite so far away and unapproachable anymore. Sure, he wasn't like Lockon, not by long shot, but our mutual will to keep on fighting for peace was crystal clear to each other in this brief moment.

… That was enough.

Chapter 3 : End

**Not much happens in this chapter, but next up will be the intervention in Taribia. :D I've already got a few parts of it typed up, so hopefully the next update won't be too far off.**

**Please leave your suggestions/comments for any improvements you think that need to be made!**


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